Giant Pumpkins at the Yumenoshima Tropical Greenhouse Dome, Koto-ku

tropical greenhouse yumenoshima — image from yumenoshima.jp

Great park to visit anytime of the year, but pre-Halloween you can see the giant pumpkins! Yumenoshima Tropical Greenhouse Dome is a botanical garden featuring 1,000 species of tropical and subtropical plants. At only 250 yen per adult (kids under 12 yrs old are free!) take a tour of their greenhouse which includes fruit bearing trees such as durian, coconut, mango, pineapples, guava, etc.; see and walk under a mini waterfall, search for the spot where you can hear your echo, and scale the stairs to the highest point of the garden then head over to the Yumenoheya (“dream room”) to play with 5,000 Kapla blocks. KAPLA is a Dutch wooden construction toy (similar to Jenga) made from pine. It allows children to build, create and experiment by using their own imagination.

Giant Pumpkins at the Yumenoshima Tropical Greenhouse Dome

If you plan your visit in October your kids can play with the 50 giant pumpkins displayed on the lawn and dress up and take photos in Halloween wardrobe indoors (the giant pumpkin display is an annual event running from the end of September to the end of October).

Bring your own food and have a picnic out on the lawn or eat at the small cafe located indoors. There is also a large grassy area (towards the parking lot) to let your kids run around as well as a Marina to take a leisurely stroll located behind the gardens.